


there's no better love that justifies me, there's no better love

by SleepyBanshee



Series: give your heart and soul to charity, cause the rest of you, the best of you, honey belongs to me [1]
Category: Sanditon (TV 2019)
Genre: F/M, Fix It Fic, i'll add more later some right after these events take place and some later in their married life, i'm also adding the ones i've already written to the collection, this was literally titled 'fuck you andrew davies' as my google doc title for this fic so, this will be part one of a series of their married life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 12:36:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21099578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepyBanshee/pseuds/SleepyBanshee
Summary: Picks up 1x08 on the balcony of the midsummer ball!





	there's no better love that justifies me, there's no better love

Charlotte held her breath and looked at Sidney Parker. He shifted his weight, and his speech was slower than usual, more careful, and it made her pounding heart more tolerable. They both knew how monumental of a decision this would be if Charlotte was correct in her assumption about what question Mr. Parker planned to propose. He still had her hands, and despite the music and merriment of the ball around them, Charlotte couldn’t help but feel that, on their balcony, they were the only people in the room.

“I have never wanted to put myself into someone else’s power before. I’ve never wanted to care for anyone but myself,” Sidney told her sincerely, and Charlotte was thankful she had gloves on, or she would be embarrassed by her sweaty palms.

“Miss Heywood,” Sidney began before correcting himself, “Charlotte,” her name hung in the air, and she was afraid to move, afraid to do anything that might break the moment. Charlotte was well aware that happy endings were not always inevitable, especially for girls like her. 

“Would you do me the tremendous honor of becoming my wife?” Sidney smiled hopeful, and gazed into her face as if he were memorizing it; he wanted, as did she, to always remember this moment.

“Yes,” Charlotte said softly, a beautiful smile overtaking her face. Finding her voice a bit more now, she said again, “Yes, of course.” 

Sidney’s smile almost put hers to shame, and she relished the feeling of his hand cupping her cheek. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, reveling in the sensation of her future husband’s caress. God, she was indescribably happy.

Charlotte looked back at Sidney and found his head tilted, studying her intently. He moved a step closer to her body, and heat radiated off of him. He was always so warm and so sturdy, a pillar of strength even if he did not know or believe it. She opened her mouth to suggest that perhaps they should rejoin the party. She felt light and full, so much so that if she danced with him later, it might be possible to fly as well. Before she could speak, commotion downstairs pierced their secluded bubble, and Charlotte started.

Sidney glanced over the balcony as a flailing and madly drunk Edward stormed into the ballroom. The music faded away, and people gasped as Edward yelled an angry outburst. He grew closer to Esther and Sidney, hand still grasped in Charlotte’s, led the way down the stairs, squeezing it once before they parted at the bottom. Sidney, as directed by Mrs. Denham, went to remove Edward, and Charlotte walked over to Esther to check on her.

Charlotte could not recall with any clarity a single detail after the proposal. Her life within the past hours blurred in her memory. Her heart ached at the ruin around her, the ash filling the air, and the soot staining the faces, arms, and feet of every person in Sanditon. She wished desperately to settle beside Sidney and find comfort in his strength. Instead, she had run after Tom Parker towards the fire and watched as so many people’s dreams and hard work went up in flames. Charlotte scrambled to assist in coordinating the efforts of the townspeople and helped secure more water for the men. At one point, despite the blur of the night, she saw Sidney leading the portable hose, and they shared a look. It was brief amidst the chaos but it reminded her that she was not alone. That no matter what happened to Sanditon or tonight, she had a partner and an ally. They went their separate ways both doing their best to put out the fire. It was a long night.

“Charlotte,” a familiar voice spoke softly, and she opened her eyes to look up at Sidney Parker, his clothes now ruined with smoke and ash. The sky was just now beginning to light up with the sun, and she found herself sleeping against the doorstep of a home across the way from the fire. Earlier she had sat with Mrs. Parker in case anyone needed help but hadn’t realized she had fallen asleep.

“Mr. Parker? Is the fire out?” She murmured blearly, and Sidney gave her an intimate smile.

“It’s probably best that you call me Sidney now,” he told her amused. She planned to tease him, but a yawn prevented her from speaking. “C’mon Charlotte. Let’s get you home.” 

Upon grabbing her hand and pulling her up, he quickly adjusted so her arm looped through his, and she leaned part of her weight on him, happy to have found someone to depend on.

“Is the fire out?” Charlotte asked again.

“Yes, there is still some smoldering, but a few men are working on it. Those that didn’t come until later in the night are staying behind to finish. Tom is with them.”

“Do you need to stay? We can go back.” She asked even as her head leaned more firmly on his shoulder as they walked towards the Parker’s residence.

“No, it is fine. Besides, I needed to check on my fiancé.”

“It has been such a bittersweet night.” She murmured, her eyes growing heavier as she struggled to stay awake.

“So it has.” 

“You still want to marry me?” She teased, and Sidney looked down at her with his brow raised in question.

“Of course, why would you think otherwise?”

“Well, you ask a girl to marry you, and suddenly buildings go up in flames, a lesser man would’ve taken that as a sign to run.” It was meant in jest, but Sidney saw a tightness around her eyes, and her wistful smile did not transform her face as it usually did.

“I am sure, Charlotte. I--” He paused in his words and step, and held her gaze. She perked up slightly, her brows furrowed. Sidney gently placed the softest of kisses onto her forehead. “I am very much in love with you, Charlotte Heywood, and nothing could tempt me to be away from you. I am far too selfish.” 

Charlotte surely thought that she must be dreaming.

“I love you, too, Sidney.” She did, with the utmost sincerity and for far longer than she cared to admit. “And you are not selfish.”

“Am I not?”

“No,” Charlotte concluded definitively. “Building a family is not selfish.” 

He smiled down at her, tucking her arm securely in his once again, before leading them back to his brother’s home. 

\---

After Sidney assured her safety and promised that he, too, would get some sleep, he went back to the site of the fire to check on Tom. He noted that his sister and brother stood beside Tom, the four of them glancing down to survey their footing amidst the broken stone and smoldering piles of wood.

“We will rebuild, Tom,” Sidney said, offering what little comfort he could at the moment.

“Yes, yes,” Tom said glancing between the ruins and Sidney, though he did not quite meet Sidney’s eyes. 

“We shall build it better than before,” Sidney remarked, and his brother and sister joined in on his positive attitude. Tom, however, glanced away, refusing to make eye contact with his family. 

Frowning and looking skittish, he muttered, “We don’t have the funds.” 

“Well, we shall raise more, but the insurance shall cover most of the costs,” Sidney clapped his brother on the back. Tom remained silent, and Sidney’s stomach lurched.

“You do have insurance, brother?” He asked, the night’s excitement finally weighing on him. He had a fiancé to protect and keep safe, and he couldn’t do that if he were to always clean up Tom’s messes.

“The premiums were too high--” Tom started, but Sidney tuned him out. He felt like the rug had been pulled out from under him. He heard his siblings talking, but for the life of them, he couldn’t engage. It seemed as if, once again, Sidney was not destined to have happiness. He had finally decided to build his own family, and he knew in his gut that Tom’s foolishness would lay waste to it.

The memory of Charlotte’s lips from their first kiss and the image of her face when she accepted his proposal flitted across his mind. He clenched his hands trying to quell the mounting anger he felt. He heard his brother and sister proclaiming that Parkers do not give up.

“They are right, Tom.” Sidney heard himself speak. He knew that he must do the right thing. But doing that may very well lose him Charlotte, the reason he endeavored to be a better man. He insisted, despite the ringing in his ears for all that he felt he had to lose. “Let’s talk to the investors, we will rally, we always do.” 

\---

They had a week. One week to secure funding or his nieces and nephews would be living in poverty, and his family name tainted. He could hardly look at Charlotte or Tom after their meeting with Mrs. Denham.

They sat, now, in the study of Tom and Mary’s house all slightly stunned at the turn of events within the last twenty-four hours.

“I will go to London, I will endeavor to gain the money we need,” Sidney said, breaking the silence. Charlotte’s stare pierced him, but he could not look at her now for fear his resolve might break.

“Sidney, thank--” Tom started, but Charlotte interrupted.

“I’ll accompany you.” 

At this Sidney glanced at her and saw the same woman who immediately went to fit a tourniquet on Mr. Stringer, who yelled her vitriol at him in the streets of Sanditon after Otis was found out, who marched onto the field to play cricket. This was Charlotte in all of her stubborn glory, and he knew it would be a battle to discourage her.

“Charlotte,” he began and saw Mary and Tom glance at each other at the use of her Christian name.

“I’m coming,” she insisted, her spine straight and her bright fiery brown eyes determined.

“Charlotte, perhaps Sidney should go by himself,” Mary said soothingly while Tom, as Tom often did, sat silently and confused. “Besides, it would not be proper for you and Sidney to go to London alone together without a chaperone.”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “We’ve done it before.”

“There were excruciating circumstances, Charlotte,” Sidney sighed.

“As opposed to now?”

“Tom, Mary, may we have the room, please?” Sidney asked as his heart clenched. He did not want to deny Charlotte anything, but he knew that this was something he must fix for himself; he refused to drag her name through this if he could help it. Tom and Maryexited rather quickly, leaving Charlotte and Sidney to stare at one another.

“Charlotte,” Sidney began but stopped as Charlotte stood.

“Stand up, Sidney,” she directed. For the briefest of moments, he wondered if she was going to hit him before remembering this was Charlotte in front of him. He stood. Charlotte crossed the short distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest. His arms immediately came up to wrap around her shoulders and he kissed the top of her head, feeling infinitely better now that she was in his arms.

“What are we doing?” He whispered.

“I’m giving you a hug.”

“Why?”

“Because you needed one,” she said simply, and his arms tightened around her at her answer. Into his chest, she murmured, “I needed one too.” 

“You can’t come with me, Charlotte.”

“Why not?” She pulled back to look at his face.

“Mary is right, we cannot go alone without drawing major speculation, and I will be going non-stop to find a solution if I can while I am there.” He said, detached, knowing that this is what he must say, not what he wanted to.

“We make a better team together, Sidney.” Charlotte let go of his waist and took a step back. “We will have more success together rather than apart just as we did last time in London looking for Georgiana. You don’t have to do everything on your own anymore.” 

Sidney closed his eyes briefly. Her words both soothed wounds he had long forgotten and made his chest pang at the thought that this disaster could lead to them being separated. “Charlotte—”

“No, Sidney, we aren’t doing this. You can take me with you, or I can go by myself. But I will go to London.” Her hands were on her hips now, and she stared at him, refusing to glance away from his stare.

“You are too stubborn for your own good,” he mumbled, and Charlotte looked entirely too pleased with herself.

“We are taking Georgiana, too,” Charlotte declared as she began to move around the room, picking up a pen and paper and writing little notes, talking to herself here and there, completely ignoring Sidney standing where she left him.

“We are not taking Georgiana,” Sidney’s tone brokered no argument, but that never stopped Charlotte before.

“Yes, we are.” Charlotte continued to write on her pad. “We can travel together, you, your ward, and your fiancé and ward’s closest friend. Georgiana’s name is reputable and might give us leads that the Parker name may not. Besides, she hates it here. She should come to London if only to make new memories in town that are not shadowed by Otis.” 

Sidney ran his hand through his hair in frustration. 

“This is a bad idea,” He tried to plead with her. Charlotte remained unfazed.

“Noted. You should go tell Georgiana. I’ll begin to pack.” She said, walking over to him and lifting up on her tippy toes to place a chaste peck on his lips, she froze, and Sidney noticed a blush on her cheeks. “I’m sorry--” 

Sidney captured her lips again. This kiss was a far cry from the peck Charlotte had initiated. This one she felt down to her toes. She lost herself in the moment, to the feel of his lips and the strength of his body against hers before she pulled back, panting slightly.

“Don’t ever apologize for that,” Sidney rasped, his voice deeper than a few minutes ago.

Charlotte bit her lip between her teeth and nodded, dazed. 

“Georgiana,” she reminded him and walked past him through the door. He heard Charlotte tell Mary and Tom of their new plans, and Sidney stood for a moment, wondering how he was able to secure the love of such an incredible woman.

\---

Charlotte thought that this was perhaps the only ride to London where all of its occupants wondered how they would fair if they jumped out of a moving carriage to escape. Georgiana sat opposite Sidney and Charlotte and refused to engage with him at all. Of course, this meant that Sidney’s mood soured more and more as he internally lamented his inability to make amends with his ward. Which in turn, meant that Charlotte was caught in the middle of a weird silent stalemate.

It just would not do.

“You both are being insufferable,” Charlotte declared, breaking the quiet tension of their journey so far. Georgiana gave Charlotte a look that one could only be described as betrayal. Sidney, on the other hand, sighed heavily next to her. “I swear, you both are terrible at this.”

“And what is this, Charlotte?” Sidney asked. His voice was neutral, but Charlotte could sense his mounting frustration.

“To be frank, communicating normal human emotions,” she said simply, and both Sidney and Georgiana looked indignantly at Charlotte.

“I am not the one who has trouble communicating,” Georgiana insisted, casting a withering glance towards Sidney.

Charlotte saw that Sidney opened his mouth to speak, but her hand grasped his arm and squeezed it, effectively silencing him.

“Perhaps,” Charlotte began, “it would be best if we all thought for ten seconds before we responded to one another. And, perhaps we should give each other the benefit of the doubt and meet each other halfway.” Both Sidney and Georgiana resolutely stared out the window nearest them. Charlotte rolled her eyes before adding, “For my sake.”

It, at the very least, succeeded in producing enough guilt that they glared at each other rather than outside their respective windows.

“Georgiana, I am genuinely asking, but what would it take for you to begin to forgive Sidney? As much as you do not want to believe it, he does genuinely care about your happiness and wellbeing. He’s just been...quite negligent in communicating it.” Charlotte pleaded for Georgiana to take this seriously. And Georgiana nodded ever so slightly. She would try, for Charlotte, of course, she would.

“To admit he was wrong in keeping his information about Otis to himself, and in dropping me by myself in Sanditon. To start with,” Georgiana muttered, her eyes hard as she looked at Sidney.

Sidney squirmed in his seat but stayed quiet. Charlotte looked at him expectantly.

“Georgiana, I realize that I have not been a good guardian to you. This role had been thrust upon me as much as being a ward has been thrust upon you. I am genuinely sorry that I have not looked after you as well as I should’ve,” he moved awkwardly in his seat, feeling far too confined.

Charlotte smiled with fake cheer. “Better already. Full sentences have been formed,” she looked between both of their unimpressed expressions. She decided to stop while she was ahead and change the subject. “So what shall we do once we arrive in London? How are we to save Sanditon and the Parkers?”

“I have several meetings with insurance groups and banks as well as some private audiences with a few of Lord Babington’s peers,” Sidney told her, taking her hand in his.

“Georgiana, any ideas?” Charlotte inquired.

“Not as of yet, but despite my dislike of Sanditon, I do not want to see it or the Parkers fall into disarray. Especially if, as it seems, you are to become one, Charlotte.” Charlotte grinned, looking down at her and Sidney’s clasped hands.

“It appears that way,” Charlotte confirmed softly. She glanced over at Sidney and found him also fondly looking at their joined hands before turning his adoring gaze on her. They stayed like that with foolish looks of love on their faces for a few seconds before Georgiana interrupted. 

“Are you both going to be disgusting and in love the entire time?” Georgiana asked, but when Charlotte turned to look at her, a blush staining her cheeks, she noted that the very corners of Georgiana’s mouth were upturned.

“No,” Sidney said awkwardly at the same time Charlotte said, “most likely.” There was a moment of silence before the three of them began to chuckle, a far cry from the stifling silence from earlier.

Charlotte ducked down her head before regrouping. “I promised Lady Susan that I would see her if I was ever in the city. I’m hoping she may have a lead or two for patrons who may want to invest in Sanditon.”

“I did not realize you were so close,” Sidney inquired. He remembered, of course, that Lady Susan and Charlotte had talked during the regatta.

“Yes, she, like Georgiana, is a close confidant.” Charlotte felt awkward qualifying her as such, as their stations in life were so different, but for whatever reason, Susan had seen Charlotte not as a rival or someone beneath her, but a kindred spirit.

“Charlotte Heywood can make friends anywhere,” Georgiana declared, smiling at her friend.

“A talent, indeed,” Sidney confirmed, and it was, perhaps, the first time that Sidney and Georgiana had agreed on anything outright. They shared a bewildered look, and Charlotte had to glance out the window to hide her amused smile. 

“So we have a plan,” Georgiana stated, and Charlotte and Sidney nodded their agreement.

“We have a plan,” Sidney repeated just as the edges of London came into view.

\---

“What if,” Charlotte began while draped in the most inelegant fashion on the chaise in Tom and Mary’s London apartment, “one of us sells our soul to the devil?”

To say that the three of them were exhausted would be a drastic understatement. They had run ragged almost every option, aside from Charlotte’s meeting with Susan tomorrow, and had nothing to show for it. Last night, Charlotte had tossed and turned, wondering if perhaps, she should let Sidney go so he might marry Mrs. Campion to secure the funding. The thought made her weep, and she hid the tears in her pillow away from Georgiana’s sleeping form next to her. It was a last resort, and she knew it, even though she was adamant in pretending that there were no other options available to them.

“I vote for Sidney’s,” Georgiana muttered, sprawled on her own chair. Sidney stood with a drink in his hand and actually snorted out a laugh. The reaction caught everyone by surprise, and within a few minutes, they were laughing heartily.

“Are we delirious? Is this what delirium is?” Georgiana asked, wiping tears from her eyes, her cheeks sore from laughter.

“A shared delirium?” Charlotte suggested, which set off Georgiana again. Sidney kept his smile but did not join the ladies in their laughter this time.

“We still have two days,” Charlotte said, trying to keep their spirits up, she looked over at Sidney and noticed his frown as he stared down into his glass. Georgiana caught his eye and he gave her a tight smile in acknowledgment, but it did not reach his eyes. “We’ll think of something, Sidney,” she directed. 

“We,” Georgiana started before pausing, “I have the funds,” she finished quietly. 

“Not an option,” Sidney said firmly.

“It’s my money,” Georgiana said stubbornly, crossing her arms and her chin jutting out defiantly. Charlotte, for her part, sat up in her chaise and cautiously glanced between the two of them.

“Exactly,” Sidney agreed emphatically. “It is your money, Georgiana, and you will use it to secure your own happiness and safety, no one else’s.” 

Charlotte smiled softly at the genuine concern for Georgiana that radiated out of Sidney’s statement.

Georgiana was quiet, her brows furrowed together. She looked at Sidney as if examining him for the first time. “I appreciate that, Sidney,” she said slowly. “But I would like to help.”

“You can help me by assuring your future,” Sidney’s tone was gruff and brokered no argument, and Charlotte rolled her eyes fondly at her fiancé.

“He thinks,” she stage whispered to Georgiana, “that if he states how much he cares with menace that you will miss the fact that he has a big heart.” 

Georgiana shared a smug smile with Charlotte, and they both looked at Sidney expectantly.

“Let’s go back to hating each other,” he mumbled before turning and leaving the room. Charlotte and Georgiana broke out in laughter again, a welcome reprieve from the endless hopelessness from the last five days.

\---

Charlotte smoothed her hands down the front of one of her white dresses. Knowing that Lady Susan was well to do and influential in society was one thing, seeing her house, well, at least one of her estates was an entirely different matter. She was underdressed, too young and poor and silly to be wasting Lady Susan’s time.

And then, Lady Susan entered the parlor and all her worries about being less than dissipated. She smiled warmly at Lady Susan, and they hugged briefly, placing a kiss on each other’s cheeks as they pulled away.

“You look well, my Lady,” Charlotte said fondly, and Lady Susan rolled her eyes.

“Do I need to tell you again to call me Susan?” She asked, pointing to a spot on the sofa next to her. They sat, and it took all of Charlotte’s willpower not to flop and lament about her current situation.

“Susan. How have you been?” Susan waved a dismissive hand at the question.

“I want to know how you are. Any luck in love?” She asked Charlotte as if they were gossiping sisters in the sanctuary of night.

“A bit, yes,” Charlotte said, blushing, and Susan smile grew.

“Let’s get tea and then talk frankly. Please, take off your shoes, get comfortable. I do loathe a stuffy house with my friends.” Charlotte laughed and did as instructed, tucking her legs under her body and holding the teacup in her hands. Susan, much to Charlotte’s delight, mimicked her movements and faced her. “Tell me.”

Charlotte had wanted to be more intentional with her story this time, unlike at the ball, but one look at Susan’s warm and gracious face, and Charlotte was telling her everything.

“Yes, well. Well, Sidney rejected Mrs. Campion, which honestly might be a mistake because Tom desperately needs money. He didn’t insure the Sanditon construction, and there was a massive fire minutes into the Midsummer ball and it took all night to put out, and now most of the construction is in ruin, and the investors are furious and gave us one week to secure funding, and now we have been in London looking, and I’m afraid that Sidney is going to break off our engagement to secure more wealth because of his ridiculous notion of protecting me-- oh yes, and Sidney proposed to me before the fire, too, and he and his ward Georgiana have been getting along much better as well, so it hasn’t been all too bad, I guess.” Charlotte finished, out of breath, and Susan’s eyes were wide as she tried to process the sheer amount of information Charlotte conveyed in less than a minute. 

“You do lead an exciting life, Charlotte,” she concluded, and Charlotte did not know whether to laugh or groan at the statement.

“I wish, just this once, that it was a little less exciting.” She stared down into her cup of tea.

“He proposed?” Susan asked coyly, and Charlotte blushed in response.

“He did.”

“Was it a good proposal?” Susan wanted to know everything, and Charlotte realized that no one else in her life was as eager to know about Charlotte as Susan was. Perhaps, Mary, at times, but not like this.

“Yes, it was a perfect proposal. He was nervous, but earnest and--” Charlotte trailed off meeting Susan’s eyes and ducking her head down. “Yes, it was a good proposal.”

“And he rejected Mrs. Campion?” Susan asked pointedly, and Charlotte nodded. “I believe I was right, was I not?” 

“Yes, I was foolish to doubt your mysterious understandings of the heart.” She teased and was rewarded by a chuckle from Susan.

“No doubt, but you have now learned of my superior knowledge of love.”

“Absolutely,” Charlotte said sincerely. “He told me that he was his best self, his truest self when he was with me.”

“Those are not words to be taken lightly.” Susan told her gently, grasping Charlotte’s empty hand and squeezing. “I am very, very happy for you, my young friend.” 

For the next few minutes, Charlotte forgot about the fire, about the money, about anything that wasn’t her friendship with Susan and her love of Sidney and they discussed the proposal, their first kiss amongst the cliffs, and Charlotte’s happiness without a care in the world. 

Susan inquired after they spent considerable time discussing more pleasurable matters.“Now, what is going on with Sanditon?” 

“Tom Parker failed to insure the new Sanditon resort, and it caught fire. Poor Mr. Stringer’s father was inside and died as well. It is in a state of destruction, and Mr. Parker and his family are well ruined if we do not find a way to raise enough funds to cover the investors at least.” Charlotte winced slightly at speaking a bit negatively about Mr. Parker, but she knew how angry Sidney was at his brother, the carelessness of his actions.

“Well, how much must be raised?” Susan asked, and Charlotte grimaced.

“About eighty thousand pounds.” Charlotte’s heart hurt, and Susan tilted her head curiously at Charlotte.

“There is something you are not telling me, Charlotte.” She probed kindly.

“No, it’s just that,” she paused and looked at her clasped hands in her lap. “I have thought of a solution. But I find it hard to speak of.” 

Charlotte was silent for a few moments before looking at Susan. “We have not announced our engagement to anyone other than you and his ward and my good friend Georgiana Lambe,” she began to explain and was comforted by Susan’s quiet support. “Sidney, could—well, he could marry Mrs. Campion, if she would still have him, and that would be more than enough to secure the funds needed. She is very wealthy.” 

Despite only speaking of this solution in the hypothetical, Charlotte still felt a lump form in her throat, and her eyes threaten to spill over with tears.

“Charlotte,” Susan pressed, but Charlotte continued.

“It would be prudent that’s all if they were to wed.” Charlotte gave the saddest smile, and Susan wanted to hit her for her self-sacrificing behavior.

“I can secure you the funds you need by the morning,” Susan said simply, taking Charlotte’s hand in hers.

“What?” Charlotte asked incredulously.

“It’s not an issue, my dear. I have many friends who would love an opportunity to invest in Sanditon, especially once I tell them to,” Susan replied nonchalantly. Charlotte sat, stunned.

“I had hoped you might be able to provide some leads on investors, but I couldn’t possibly ask you to coordinate everything,” Charlotte said, shaking her head fervently.

“Well, you didn’t ask,” Susan shrugged.

“Susan--” Charlotte began before Susan squeezed her hands, silencing her.

“This is nothing, Charlotte. These people have more money they will ever need, and Sanditon is a better place to spend their money over gambling or brothels. Let me do this for you.” 

Charlotte nodded dumbly. Charlotte inquired softly, “May I ask you a question?” 

“Of course, my dear Charlotte.”

“You have been such a good friend since the moment we met. And I don’t mean to view your kindness with suspicion, but what you have done for me, and for Sanditon, is no small matter.” Charlotte paused, but as always, Susan knew where Charlotte was going.

“And you wonder why I am so generous with you?”

“Yes.”

“One second, and I’ll tell you,” she directed to Charlotte before standing up and going to the doorway. 

“Dorothy?” she requested, and a lovely young maid came to the door.

“My Lady?” she inquired, and Susan rolled her eyes toward Charlotte. “Dorothy also refuses to call me Susan. She claims it is not proper.” Susan turned back to Dorothy. “I will be having an impromptu dinner party tonight please send out the invites to the usual attendees and also to a few of the less welcomed guests.” 

Her coded tone made Dorothy bite down a smile. “Of course, My Lady. I shall deliver those at once and tell the cooks to expect a dinner party.”

“Thank you very much, Dorothy! I appreciate your help.” Dorothy left the room, and Susan sat down on the couch again closer to Charlotte. She grasped Charlotte’s hands in her own. “I think down the line, I shall give you the details of my upbringing and my life. But, for now, let me say that I have been in a position such as yours. I have loved someone, and I have been told by many that it was an unsuitable match. I have felt alone; in fact, I still do, among a society that holds my wealth in esteem, but not my person. You, with your bright eyes and trusting demeanor, remind me of my younger self. And I would hate it if your life suffered because of a cruel society as mine has.”

Charlotte squeezed Susan's hands. “I have the resources to help you, and I want to.” Susan finished.

“Are you a fairy godmother?” Charlotte joked as she moved her shoulder to bump into Susan’s shoulder, her heart full.

“For you, yes.” Susan teased back. They looked at each other seriously for a few moments before Charlotte could not hold back her giggles. Susan joined her.

“I’m going to get married,” Charlotte sighed out, laying back against the couch with a smile she could not nor tried to restrain.

“You are!” Susan agreed, smiling.

“You’re coming, of course.” Charlotte told her. “Without you, I would still be cluelessly trying to figure out how I feel.”

Susan shook her head, “You would’ve gotten there eventually, my dear.”

“Perhaps, but your help was invaluable nevertheless,” Charlotte replied, and her words were heavy with gratitude.

“Here is what we are going to do. You are going to go home and tell your betrothed that you have secured funding. I will get your investments together, and you, Mr. Parker, and Miss Georgiana Lambe will come tomorrow, and you can be on your way back to Sanditon with the good news.” Susan told her as if she hadn’t just solved all of their problems in one meeting.

“Will you tell me if I can do anything to repay your kindness?”

“You shall be the very first to know,” Susan agreed, but Charlotte felt as if Susan would never quite ask anyone for help. She was too independent. It would be Charlotte’s mission to continue their friendship and to give any comfort she could to Susan. She deserved all of the kindness Charlotte could offer and more.

\---

Charlotte practically sprinted through the door. She rushed into the apartment to find Sidney hunched over a letter and Georgiana reading on the chaise. “I got the money,” she breathed out. 

Sidney looked up with a furrowed brow. “What?” He asked and Georgiana put down her book.

“I got the money. New investors. Everything. Lady Susan is taking care of it. We pick up what we need tomorrow.” Charlotte said, her face bright and happy. Georgiana still sat stunned in her chaise, and Sidney hadn’t moved.

“Are we not excited?” She faltered.

“Are you serious?” Georgiana asked, her lips starting to turn into a smile. She glanced between Charlotte and Sidney.

“I’m serious!” Charlotte practically screeched, and Georgiana jumped up from the chaise and embraced Charlotte. They pulled away smiling and turned towards Sidney, who still looked vaguely confused, the fountain pen he was writing with still in his hand.

“Sidney?” Charlotte asked, nerves diluting the joy she felt at their mission’s success.

“You’re sure?” He questioned once more.

“Georgiana?” She whispered. “Can you give us a moment?” Georgiana nodded, grabbed her book, and gave Charlotte a supportive smile before leaving the room. Finally, Sidney set down his pen.

“What do we owe her?” Sidney asked, still sitting across the room from her. Charlotte tilted her head and took a step forward.

“Nothing. Our gratitude and kindness,” Charlotte said. “I asked if we could repay her, and she wouldn’t hear of it. She told me that her peers would be spending their money on gambling and brothels, and Sanditon was a better investment anyway.” 

She took a few more steps forward and walked around the massive mahogany writing desk. Sidney turned in his chair to face her. He had yet to say anything in response. “Sidney?”

He sighed heavily. “It is not that I do not believe you. It is just that in my experience, kindness is not given on such a massive scale.”

“Perhaps you should be open to new experiences then?” She asked, trying to catch his gaze and prompt a smile.

“I will feel more positive about our situation once everything is official tomorrow.” He sighed, and she noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the tension along the line of his shoulder, the disheveled shirt he wore compared to his usual crisp white linens.

“It’s going to be okay.” Charlotte said softly, taking a small step in between his two legs and placing her warm hand against his cheek. As she took another step into the warmth of his body, he looked up at her slightly, their difference in height considerably less than usual. She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “We can get through this, Sidney.”

Sidney stood suddenly, and Charlotte strained her neck to look at him. He stooped down and immediately wrapped his arms around her waist. Charlotte held herself awkwardly for a moment still not used to being in a man’s arms before she melted, her head resting on his chest. 

“We are going to get married,” she gushed, feeling for the first time in the last week that she might get her happy ending.

“Of course, we are,” Sidney rumbled, and he leaned back, giving her a questioning look.

“I had thought — ” she started, her arms still around his waist, “ — that perhaps — ” 

She shook her head and buried it back against his chest. She didn’t want to say it aloud and she didn’t want it to be real in Sidney’s or her own mind. 

“Charlotte,” he comforted, his arms hugging her tighter.

She sighed heavily. “I had thought, at a dark moment in the night, that perhaps you should’ve married Mrs. Campion. We hadn’t announced our engagement and--”

“Never, Charlotte,” he cut her off before she could finish her sentence. “I admit to having thought about it once myself but dismissed it almost immediately. I asked you, Charlotte, and I want to marry you.” 

Charlotte melted further into the reassuring warmth of his body. She muttered, “I know, but you are too good of a man to have not considered it.”

“Perhaps, if I had not already asked you to marry me, I would have thought about it more seriously, but I did ask you, and not a second has gone by that I have not been incredibly thankful. I cannot wait to be your husband, Charlotte Heywood.”

She swallowed, her throat tight. “I love you, Sidney Parker,” she said, her voice coming out shaky. She leaned into the kiss he placed on the top of her head and somehow, despite the fact that Sidney was still worried about tomorrow, about securing the funding, about managing Tom’s ambition in Sanditon, of Georgiana’s broken heart, in this moment here, she knew that it would be okay. That, though the journey was not without bumps, they would make it to their destination together, and they would embrace every experience along the way.

“And, I you, Miss Heywood.”

**Author's Note:**

> allllll of my love to @nnegan13 for beta-ing the heck out of this fic. I appreciate you and your brilliance so much! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it! I will be adding to this series sporadically! Also, bless this fandom (and, like, women in general) so much for the amazing fix-it fics! 
> 
> white men are no longer allowed to touch Jane Austen
> 
> title from hozier's better love 
> 
> find me on tumblr: https://air-bison-yip-yip.tumblr.com/


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